Yesterday, the Times waxed ecstatic about red velvet cake. To me, the quintessential southern dessert — and one of the great food experiences –is coconut layer cake. Not that I don’t love a big slab of red velvet, but the crunch of the coconut and a buttery icing swaddling a coconut layer cake can’t be beat.

Unlike other southern standbys, like ice tea, it’s actually possible to find first-rate coconut layer cake in New York. For my money, there are two great coconut cakes in the city: one at Kitchenette, the other at the Magnolia Bakery. At Kitchenette, a good brunch spot, skip the eggs and pancakes and go straight for a towering slice of their luscious coconut cake. The Magnolia version is fine too, though I’m less partial to its meringue icing than to Kitchenette’s classic butter cream.

I guess I’m a fan of coconut anything. As I said in my post on on the Blue Colony Diner in Connecticut, the place makes a mean coconut custard pie. For whatever reason, this confection has gone out of fashion. Too bad, it’s rich and satisfying but light enough to follow the heaviest diner meal.

Kitchenette
80 W Broadway
New York, NY 10007
212 267-6740

1272 Amsterdam Ave
New York, NY 10027
212 531-7600

Magnolia Bakery
401 Bleecker Street
New York, NY 10014
212 462-2572

Related posts:

1. Gramercy: Red Velvet Cake at Duke’s Rocks…Maybe. And the Top 5 Red Velvet Cupcake Places in NY
2. Love that Layer Cake
3. Red Hook Diner